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Each hand that you are dealt in Texas hold’em has a certain monetary value. This is the money that you will make on average each time you see the flop. For certain hands, like TT, JJ and AQ it’s a reasonably high figure (the actual amount depends on how good you and your opponents play). Other hands, however, are worth much less, for example hands like...Read Article »
In last week’s article we discussed how to play pre–flop, and one of the major points was the importance of raising preflop as often as possible. Ideally most of the time you win the pot preflop. But occasionally your opponents will call and you will see a flop. You are still in a good situation here, regardless of your cards, because your raise preflop means you can creditably represent a good hand on the flop. So in general the best option is to continue with the hand by firing a continuation bet. There are two important considerations, how much, and when...Read Article »
In the last two articles we discussed how to play preflop, and after the flop. In this one we will focus on the turn and river, and how best to play those streets. If you follow the advice given in those articles, you will find that you are often in a situation where you have raised pre–flop, continuation bet the flop and then get to the turn, in position...Read Article »
This is the fourth article in my series for Paddy Power Poker. Up until now we have focused on how to play our hands well, but to play our hands great we need to have an idea of what our opponents hold. This skill is called hand reading. Following on from this we will look at bluffing next week, as to be able to bluff well you need to have an idea... Read Article »
Last week we looked at Hand Reading. Following on from that discussion we will now take a look at bluffing. Being able to hand read is vital for most bluffs, as one of the most important factors in deciding whether to bluff will be your assessment of the quality of your opponent’s hand. The weaker his hand the more likely he is to throw his... Read Article »
There are many advantages online poker enjoys over its offline equivalent, but one of the few drawbacks is the fact that it is much harder to make a read on a player. In a live setting you can sit back and scrutinise a player, inexperienced players often give away a lot about the strength of their hand simply by how comfortable, or otherwise, they appear. Even from more experienced players you can sometimes pick up a clue as to their holding.... Read Article »
Here we will take a look at one of the most important, but unexplored skills in tournaments. For the purposes of this article we will assume antes are not in play, as they generally aren’t on Paddy Power Poker. If you find yourself in a tournament with antes remember there is always an extra reward for stealing the blinds than normal. Your stack will also dwindle at an increased rate.....Read Article »
At this stage nearly all poker players are aware of position. There are many players who simply cannot let the button go by without raising from it! However there is a more advanced concept of Relative Position that is less commonly understood.....Read Article »
All players lose from time to time. Poker is a game of skill but also of luck. You can only make the best plays with the cards you are dealt and hope that the probabilities hold up! Of course you can do a lot to help Lady Luck along and I’m going to tell you the Top Ten Sins of new players online. Avoid these mistakes and your game (and account balance!) should improve noticeably… Read Article »
This is a term I’ve only recently heard for something I commonly do! There is a style of player who would be scared by his own shadow. Every card that comes down either helps him, or in his mind, helps his opponent. Its like they are scolded children, they flinch at every card because they’ve been "bad beat" so often they are mentally scarred for life. Here’s how you kick ‘em when they’re down…
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When to make bad calls – by Tom Murphy
(published on the 5/5/05)
I’m going to get a bit mathematical here but don’t switch off just yet because if the mere mention of maths gets you running for cover, you are going to have a hard time being a poker player online!
Let’s look at a hypothetical scenario: You are on the button, you have 89 of hearts and you raise it from $10 (the big blind) to $30 on a semi–steal. The big blind thinks for a good while and then…
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(published on the 5/5/05)
I’m going to get a bit mathematical here but don’t switch off just yet because if the mere mention of maths gets you running for cover, you are going to have a hard time being a poker player online!
Let’s look at a hypothetical scenario: You are on the button, you have 89 of hearts and you raise it from $10 (the big blind) to $30 on a semi–steal. The big blind thinks for a good while and then…
Read Article »
When stack size affects your decisions – by Tom Murphy (published on the 10/5/05)
Most players understand basic odds. If you are in the big blind and the blinds are 3000/6000 and the small blind goes all–in for a total of 7000… it doesn’t matter what you are holding, you simply have to call. You are getting 13,000 back for your 1,000 extra. In poker parlance, you are… Read Article »
Most players understand basic odds. If you are in the big blind and the blinds are 3000/6000 and the small blind goes all–in for a total of 7000… it doesn’t matter what you are holding, you simply have to call. You are getting 13,000 back for your 1,000 extra. In poker parlance, you are… Read Article »
A Cure for the Tilts – by Tom Murphy (published on the 10/5/05)
We’ve all gone on tilt at some stage. Some people may not have even recognised it but it happens to just about every player at some stage or other. The trick is early diagnosis and quick action…
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We’ve all gone on tilt at some stage. Some people may not have even recognised it but it happens to just about every player at some stage or other. The trick is early diagnosis and quick action…
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How to win in the long run - by Mike Lacey (published on the 25/5/05)
As Tom Murphy likes to say before some of his articles, ‘Warning this may contain traces of maths!’ But don’t worry it’s not that complicated. The object of a cash game is slightly different to a tournament in that unless you are playing with the last of your bankroll, survival is not something you are thinking about. It is all about maximising the profits when you have the best hand…
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As Tom Murphy likes to say before some of his articles, ‘Warning this may contain traces of maths!’ But don’t worry it’s not that complicated. The object of a cash game is slightly different to a tournament in that unless you are playing with the last of your bankroll, survival is not something you are thinking about. It is all about maximising the profits when you have the best hand…
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How to avoid becoming an Action Junkie – By Tom Murphy (Published on 01/06/2005)
Now I’m not talking about some Christian Brother or Sergeant Major with a black strap here (though some players need a good wallop every time they go to call with K4!). Discipline in poker is paramount; poker is not an extreme sport despite what the TV might want you to think and its more about the hands you throw away then the hands you play. Any tournament you enter, any cash game you sit down at should be a mental commitment that you are going to sit there for 2–3 hours, primarily folding hands. If you are looking for an instant buzz take up rock climbing or snowboarding, poker can be a rush, an adrenalin hit... Read Article »
Now I’m not talking about some Christian Brother or Sergeant Major with a black strap here (though some players need a good wallop every time they go to call with K4!). Discipline in poker is paramount; poker is not an extreme sport despite what the TV might want you to think and its more about the hands you throw away then the hands you play. Any tournament you enter, any cash game you sit down at should be a mental commitment that you are going to sit there for 2–3 hours, primarily folding hands. If you are looking for an instant buzz take up rock climbing or snowboarding, poker can be a rush, an adrenalin hit... Read Article »
Controlling your attitude – by Tom Murphy
(Published on 9/6/2005)
Every player goes through a run of cold cards and bad luck. Simon Trumper documented one such run once, losing 18 coin–flips (that is, times when he’s 50–50 with another player, all in) in a row! I’ve just broken a month’s long run of foul cards and bad beats where I won absolutely nothing and couldn’t even draw out on someone. No, it seems when it comes to ME being the underdog, the cards behave themselves! Every player... Read Article »
(Published on 9/6/2005)
Every player goes through a run of cold cards and bad luck. Simon Trumper documented one such run once, losing 18 coin–flips (that is, times when he’s 50–50 with another player, all in) in a row! I’ve just broken a month’s long run of foul cards and bad beats where I won absolutely nothing and couldn’t even draw out on someone. No, it seems when it comes to ME being the underdog, the cards behave themselves! Every player... Read Article »
Deal with it – by Jonny Downes (Published on 6/10/2005)
One major problem that every poker player encounters is the ability to cope with financial loss. Ultimately it can lead to the decimation of your bankroll, loss of confidence in your game and downright dejection. Throughout this article I will analyse how this occurs and how you can be better prepared to recognize this trend and deal with the resulting issues...Read Article »
One major problem that every poker player encounters is the ability to cope with financial loss. Ultimately it can lead to the decimation of your bankroll, loss of confidence in your game and downright dejection. Throughout this article I will analyse how this occurs and how you can be better prepared to recognize this trend and deal with the resulting issues...Read Article »
Which hands you chose to enter a pot with is one of the most critical decisions in No Limit Holdem (NLH). Making good decisions preflop will greatly increase your return! As the song says, you got to know when to hold’em, know when to fold ‘em and you should roughly be folding 2 out of… Read Article »
Where you are situated at a poker table will greatly influence your decision making process. There are 4 specific positions that need special consideration, they are: The Button, The Small Blind, The Big Blind and Under… Read Article »
Nope, "Positional Play" isn’t some form of sex game, it’s an important part of any semi–serious player’s understanding of the game. There are three general areas of position and 4 specific positions that need discussion. In this article let’s look at the general areas. Let’s presume you are in a 9 person tournament game. The button indicates where the virtual dealer… Read Article »
What sort of player notes to take online - by Tom Murphy (published on 27/04/05)
Notes are an integral part of online play and a great facility you should make extensive use of. Offline it might be considered rude if you reached over and slapped a Stick–It to someone’s forehead that read “FISH!”
By the nature of online play you wont get a lot of time to write a thesis on someone’s style of play so what sort of things should you look for and note? Well the first thing is that you should… Read Article »
Notes are an integral part of online play and a great facility you should make extensive use of. Offline it might be considered rude if you reached over and slapped a Stick–It to someone’s forehead that read “FISH!”
By the nature of online play you wont get a lot of time to write a thesis on someone’s style of play so what sort of things should you look for and note? Well the first thing is that you should… Read Article »
When slow play can slowly kill you – By Mike Lacey
(Published on 9/06/2005)
What do you do when you flop top set or a nut straight and no–one else has bet yet? Usually you will check to encourage a bet from someone who has a bit of a hand or on a bluff/semi bluff. However there are some situations when you should just come out betting strong and take what is in the middle. The following is a real situation that occurred... Read Article »
(Published on 9/06/2005)
What do you do when you flop top set or a nut straight and no–one else has bet yet? Usually you will check to encourage a bet from someone who has a bit of a hand or on a bluff/semi bluff. However there are some situations when you should just come out betting strong and take what is in the middle. The following is a real situation that occurred... Read Article »
A gedanken article – by Tom Murphy (Published on 14/6/2005)
This is an old chestnut on the poker scene but it bears repetition here. The scenario takes many forms but boils down to the same thing, how much do you trust to maths in a game of poker. So here’s the question: You are the big blind on the first hand of the world series of poker at your table. The first player to act goes all in. How many players going all in ahead of you would it take to...
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This is an old chestnut on the poker scene but it bears repetition here. The scenario takes many forms but boils down to the same thing, how much do you trust to maths in a game of poker. So here’s the question: You are the big blind on the first hand of the world series of poker at your table. The first player to act goes all in. How many players going all in ahead of you would it take to...
Read Article »
Wreck their heads – by Tom Murphy (Published on 5/8/2005)
Nope, thats not a typo. Nor is it some arcane sexual manoeuvre. It is rather, a very handy trick that can be used in poker. Consider first of all that for a long time the first to act (often referred to as Early Postion or Under The Gun) was considered the worst position to be in around the table. You have to act initially without hearing anything from your opponents and you will be early in the betting round on each subsequent round after the first. This was deemed to be a handicap until... Read Article »
Nope, thats not a typo. Nor is it some arcane sexual manoeuvre. It is rather, a very handy trick that can be used in poker. Consider first of all that for a long time the first to act (often referred to as Early Postion or Under The Gun) was considered the worst position to be in around the table. You have to act initially without hearing anything from your opponents and you will be early in the betting round on each subsequent round after the first. This was deemed to be a handicap until... Read Article »
How to play the Pocket Rockets (published on 13/04/05)
This is the hand that most poker players love the most and at the same time, hate the most. You are going to win a big pot or lose a big pot with this hand, sometimes you will have to be happy with just taking the… Read Article »
This is the hand that most poker players love the most and at the same time, hate the most. You are going to win a big pot or lose a big pot with this hand, sometimes you will have to be happy with just taking the… Read Article »
How to Play Ace–King (published on 20/04/05)
So Powerful only two hands put it in deep trouble, yet so weak it can be beaten by a pair of twos! If you’re holding AK, it’s either suited or non–suited. Pre–flop the value of each is much the same, however post flop; the suited version can be much more coveted. Like AA, AK can win or lose you a big pot and sometimes… Read Article »
So Powerful only two hands put it in deep trouble, yet so weak it can be beaten by a pair of twos! If you’re holding AK, it’s either suited or non–suited. Pre–flop the value of each is much the same, however post flop; the suited version can be much more coveted. Like AA, AK can win or lose you a big pot and sometimes… Read Article »
Why playing big–n–small is a bad idea – by Tom Murphy (published on 27/04/05)
I see a lot of players around who seem to think A6 or K4 are gifts from Po’Kar, the God of Gambling. The fact of the matter is that A6 off–suit is such a poor hand that I throw it away when in almost any position. If I’m on the button with two tight players to my left I might raise with it to steal the blinds but I don’t need… Read Article »
I see a lot of players around who seem to think A6 or K4 are gifts from Po’Kar, the God of Gambling. The fact of the matter is that A6 off–suit is such a poor hand that I throw it away when in almost any position. If I’m on the button with two tight players to my left I might raise with it to steal the blinds but I don’t need… Read Article »
Commonly Misplayed Hands: Part I Small Pairs
by Tom Murphy (published on 27/04/05)
There are as many ways to play hands of poker as there are hands of poker. Nobody can tell you that what you are doing is wrong or bad. Indeed there is often a good living to be made by deliberately making a terrible play… Read Article »
by Tom Murphy (published on 27/04/05)
There are as many ways to play hands of poker as there are hands of poker. Nobody can tell you that what you are doing is wrong or bad. Indeed there is often a good living to be made by deliberately making a terrible play… Read Article »
How to handle a glass cannon
by Tom Murphy (published on the 25/5/05)
"Ajax" is one of its nick names and it can clean you out too! Ace Jack is a dangerous hand that needs to be carefully considered before you play it! It has to rank up there as one of the most misplayed hands there is. The problem with AJ is its beauty. Like the Sirens it looks so pretty it lures unsuspecting players onto the rocks where they crash and burn. So why play… Read Article »
by Tom Murphy (published on the 25/5/05)
"Ajax" is one of its nick names and it can clean you out too! Ace Jack is a dangerous hand that needs to be carefully considered before you play it! It has to rank up there as one of the most misplayed hands there is. The problem with AJ is its beauty. Like the Sirens it looks so pretty it lures unsuspecting players onto the rocks where they crash and burn. So why play… Read Article »
Preflop play with the Bullets – By Tom Murphy
(Published on 01/06/2005)
I’ve heard it all about aces. I can’t remember how many players have walked out of tournaments and said that ugly sentence, "My aces got cracked". I’ve even heard players say they hate to look down and see them. Personally I can’t understand anyone who feels trepidation at seeing the strongest hand you can be dealt but I’ve also seen them so badly misplayed that I feel like ringing the ISPCA*, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aces! Aces are a huge huge hand. Headsup against any hand other than its twin, you are at least 78%... Read Article »
(Published on 01/06/2005)
I’ve heard it all about aces. I can’t remember how many players have walked out of tournaments and said that ugly sentence, "My aces got cracked". I’ve even heard players say they hate to look down and see them. Personally I can’t understand anyone who feels trepidation at seeing the strongest hand you can be dealt but I’ve also seen them so badly misplayed that I feel like ringing the ISPCA*, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aces! Aces are a huge huge hand. Headsup against any hand other than its twin, you are at least 78%... Read Article »
Controlling your attitude – by Tom Murphy
(Published on 14/6/2005)
No, SNGs wont leave you queuing embarrassingly at the local clinic, SNG is the acronym for Single Table Tourneys, also called One Table Tourneys, Sit and Go’s... – whatever you call them they are one of the best ways to pass a pleasant hour or two and maybe make some money. But is there a winning strategy for them? Well poker is a true "Game" by the definition of Game Theory, so there is no universal strategy that works optimally regardless of your opponents. That is to say if a certain strategy was adopted by all players, any player who deviated from it would profit enormously. If everyone on your table is playing tight then you should... Read Article »
(Published on 14/6/2005)
No, SNGs wont leave you queuing embarrassingly at the local clinic, SNG is the acronym for Single Table Tourneys, also called One Table Tourneys, Sit and Go’s... – whatever you call them they are one of the best ways to pass a pleasant hour or two and maybe make some money. But is there a winning strategy for them? Well poker is a true "Game" by the definition of Game Theory, so there is no universal strategy that works optimally regardless of your opponents. That is to say if a certain strategy was adopted by all players, any player who deviated from it would profit enormously. If everyone on your table is playing tight then you should... Read Article »
An approach to Omaha – by Tom Murphy
(published on the 25/5/05)
I get ribbed by my poker mates for being referred to as an "expert" on these articles. I don’t doubt my knowledge of Holdem theory but, well dear reader, I think we all have occasionally made calls we weren’t proud of! And Omaha is my weak spot. I’m pretty disciplined in Holdem. I’ll sit and wait for levels at a time without moving a chip but God damn everything looks good in Omaha! "What? I have one card to make a straight flush?... Read Article »
(published on the 25/5/05)
I get ribbed by my poker mates for being referred to as an "expert" on these articles. I don’t doubt my knowledge of Holdem theory but, well dear reader, I think we all have occasionally made calls we weren’t proud of! And Omaha is my weak spot. I’m pretty disciplined in Holdem. I’ll sit and wait for levels at a time without moving a chip but God damn everything looks good in Omaha! "What? I have one card to make a straight flush?... Read Article »
A Brief History– by Tom Murphy (published on the 25/5/05)
For poker players the world over, this is the big one. The one everyone wants to win. Clinching the money and the bracelet and proving you are the best in the world. Well, we can all dream! The fact is though that such a dream can become a reality. For the past two years the WSOP champion has come from online qualifiers who won their tickets in satellites!… Read Article »
For poker players the world over, this is the big one. The one everyone wants to win. Clinching the money and the bracelet and proving you are the best in the world. Well, we can all dream! The fact is though that such a dream can become a reality. For the past two years the WSOP champion has come from online qualifiers who won their tickets in satellites!… Read Article »
The WSOP Report – by Tom Murphy (Published on 5/8/2005)
Every poker player worth his salt wants to see Vegas before he goes to the great cardroom in the sky. The Muslims have mecca, we have Vegas. So when PaddyPowerPoker.com and Antesup.com decided it was a good time to send me to report on the World Series of Poker... I wasn’t going to argue! Vegas is a madhouse, a veritable zoo of a place and somewhere that reminded me of nothing so much as main street in Disneyland when my parents brought me there as a nipper. Disneyland liberally dowsed with hookers and... Read Article »
Every poker player worth his salt wants to see Vegas before he goes to the great cardroom in the sky. The Muslims have mecca, we have Vegas. So when PaddyPowerPoker.com and Antesup.com decided it was a good time to send me to report on the World Series of Poker... I wasn’t going to argue! Vegas is a madhouse, a veritable zoo of a place and somewhere that reminded me of nothing so much as main street in Disneyland when my parents brought me there as a nipper. Disneyland liberally dowsed with hookers and... Read Article »
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